The place to chat with your fellow MIMForum members about whatever you want that doesn't relate to instruments, or isn't specific to one instrument family. Pull up a chair, grab a cold one out of the virtual 'fridge, and tell your friends what's on your mind.

Bryan, that's why I posted about it. Just hoping to keep someone else's hands in tact.

Well put, Bob. I was thinking maybe we should all post every time we hurt ourselves, just to remind one another of the hazards. Maybe just the embarrassment of going public would make a fellow slow down and think twice. Anyway, I'm glad my moment of dumbness doesn't seem like it's going to wreck anything permanently.

Gordon, I think I will actually be able to go to the guitar show this year. It will be a first for me. I was hoping you were going to be there. I will be sure to stop and chat with you. Looking forward to it.

" I was thinking maybe we should all post every time we hurt ourselves, just to remind one another of the hazards." Another thing we could post is the methods we use to eliminate some of those hazards. Why do you think you injured yourself and what are you going to change to keep it from happening again? A number of times I have thought - "gee - that was dumb!", both before and (unfortunately) after injuring myself. Hope you heal well and quickly!

A quick follow up. I was using a small crank neck chisel to trim the side of a pick-up cavity. The guitar was clamped to my workbench, and I was able to shave just a bit off of most of the side, but I couldn't properly trim the near side of the cavity because of the back of the chisel not allowing me to drop down in the hole. I should have simply turned the guitar around and reclamped, but instead I just chiselled back towards myself. Must've had my left hand resting on the near side, so when the chisel inevitably slipped, it got me. The solution for me is to always look at what's in line with the direction of force before applying the force.

The stitches came out a few days ago and it's healing up pretty well. I don't think there will be any lasting effects beyond a scar. That's a lucky escape for me. Thanks for paying attention to this. I like building guitars and I like playing them, and I'd sure hate to give up either of those things, so I guess I need to slow down and think ahead. Let`s all be careful.-jim

Speaking of injuries; two years ago I rolled over my big toe with the mobile base of the table saw. OUCH!!Lost the nail, and when it grew back in, it was crooked and growing at a weird angle. So it had to be removed.I waited as long as I reasonably could to have it done, but it became apparent that it was simply time.I went in and had it removed, and let me tell you that having the freezing needles in the big toe was extremely unpleasant.And after a week, I got infection in it, so I've been hobbling around for the last month. Work boots are the worst.

Ouch! Toe injuries and toenail issues are really painful. Yours would make an even more gruesome t-shirt than mine. It sounds like it's been a long term thing too. Happily, I'm basically fine now.

It was good to get the chance to meet you too Gordon. A couple of people I ran into said good things about your guitars. Hopefully something comes out of it for you. Nice to see that those guitars look as great in person as they do on this forum.

Jim Hepler wrote:Chisels should be very sharp on one end only. That end should not be pointed at body parts. I have 4 stitches in my left hand as reminder of that simple rule. Remember to keep the sharp side directed away from the parts you want to keep.

-Jim

I second that, having put a nice gash in my off-hand index finger a month ago when my chisel slipped while trimming the tenon on a neck. No stitches, just that special tape they use.

I'm forcing myself to use one of those cut-resistant gloves that they sell at woodworkers and kitchen supply places. It does make things a little clumsier, but it's a reminder to be careful every time I put it on.

When I took wood shop in high-school, the teacher would shake his finger when he caught us doing something stupid. The fact that his finger was half missing kind of drove the point home.

Comparatively - yes! On another Forum a person posted a picture of his recent encounter with the wrong end of a chisel. A slice completely across his palm. I counted 24 or 25 stitches. Ouch! Not to minimize your pain, but I was shocked at seeing how much damage a chisel slip could cause.